March 19, 1920] 



SCIENCE 



297 



there has rarely been a man who so constantly 

 sought the cooperation of all who could and 

 would render him assistance. The " Origin of 

 Species " is full of acknowledgements to his 

 friends and correspondents, without wliom he 

 would have been comparatively helpless. 

 From a close study of Darwin's life, we arise 

 with the conviction that it is precisely the 

 man of genius who should be the center of a 

 cooperating group, and that it is through such 

 cooperation that human knowledge, at least 

 in the biological sciences, is chiefly advanced. 

 To-day the adequate study of even a simple 

 species of plant, as I have found in dealing 

 with Helianthus tuberosus, requires not only 

 a general botanist, but a plant physiologist, a 

 tasonomist, a chemist, a soil physicist, an 

 entomologist and others. Who is so versatile 

 that he can perform all these functions? Yet 

 our institutions are so constituted that each 

 department stands by itself, and cooperation 

 is no part of the regular program. We must 

 not permit ourselves to be dictated to by per- 

 sons who can not understand our aims or the 

 conditions under which we must work, but 

 the state has a right to demand efficiency. 

 Are we sure ourselves, and can we convince 

 others, that we are not overdoing our individ- 

 ualism? The world needs to be made wise 

 and honest: can we afford to refuse to work 

 together to this end? 



T. D. A. COCKERELL 



Universitt or Colorado 



A CONVENIENT DEMONSTRATION MOUNTING 

 FOR JELLYFISHES 



The writer has found the following method 

 of mounting jellyfishes (Scyphozoa), both con- 

 venient and satisfactory besides permitting 

 the observation of many structures usually 

 only clearly seen when specimens are removed 

 from the preserving jar. 



Choose from the material on hand a jelly- 

 fish whose diameter is approximately that of 

 a Petri dish in which it then may be placed, 

 enough 4 per cent, formalin being added to 

 cover the specimen. After the dish has been 

 covered, it may be forced down in a mold of 

 fresh plaster of Paris until the space between 



the upper and lower halves of it is sealed, and 

 the top of the upper half is flush with the 

 surface of the mold. When the mold has 

 firmly set, any obscuring plaster of Paris may 

 be scraped from the glass, or the mold itself 

 suitably shaped up with a scalpel. Formalin 

 solution condensing at any time on the upper 

 lid may be displaced by manipulation. 



Perhaps the most convenient molding frame 

 is a paper box of a size adaptable to that of 

 the Petri dish, although it may be of any 

 shape. It is best to vaseline the interior of 

 the box, in order that the hardened material 

 may come away freely. With some care, a 

 clean-cut looking mount may be secured. If 

 desired, the plaster of Paris part may be given 

 a coat of shellac, making it more durable 

 from the laboratory standpoint. Data con- 

 cerning the specimen may then be placed 

 upon it with India ink. 



It is seen that the above procedure is a 

 modification of an old laboratory trick 

 whereby odd bits of natural history specimens 

 such as corals, sponges, specimens in vials, 

 etc., may be given a convenient and useful 

 mounting. 



N. M. Griek 



HOLLINS, VA. 



ORGANIZATION OF THE AMERICAN 

 GEOPHYSICAL UNION 



At its meeting on June 24, 1919, the 

 "American Section of the proposed Inter- 

 national Geophysical Union " passed the fol- 

 lowing motion: 



Moved: That tlie members of the Seotion. who go 

 to the Brussels meeting be constituted a committee, 

 with power to add to its membership, to consider 

 permanent organization of the Seotion — ^the eom- 

 mdttee, after completing a plan for such organiza- 

 tion, to report to a meeting of the Section, to be 

 called at the discretion of the acting chairman of 

 the Section, for the purpose of perfecting the per- 

 manent organization. Adopted. 



The Brussels meeting referred to is that 

 which was held from July 18 to July 28, 1919, 

 to organize the International Research Ooim- 

 cil, and International Unions affiliated with it. 



At this conference the International Geo- 



